Hope you don't mind me posting this here, but I found it interesting in my research.
There are four Merchant Seamen buried at Ta'Braxia Cemetery at Malta. Three are recorded as official war dead by the CWGC, though two of them do not actually fall into this category under the Commissions rules and guidelines for commemorating Merchant Seamen. My concern is for the one that has been overlooked altogether.
SMITH, Chief Steward, WILLIAM JOHN, S.S. Princess Kathleen. Merchant Navy. 15th April 1943. Age 53. Husband of Dorothy Ann Smith, of Knotty Ash, Liverpool. Div. 2. Grave 25. (Recorded in the Deaths at Sea Register April 1943, p.24. Cause of death. Labor Pneumonia)
WARRACK, Able Seaman, J, S.S. Essex (London). Merchant Navy. 3rd February 1941. Age 27. Son of William and Helen Warrack, of Kenilworth, Warwickshire. Div. 9. Grave 32. (Recorded in the Deaths at Sea Register March 1941, p.26. Cause of death. Injuries received by enemy action)
WILLIAMS, Able Seaman, CLARENCE RICHARD, S.S. Don. Merchant Navy. 17th May 1945. Age 51. Son of Richard and Selina Williams, of Goole, Yorkshire. Div. 6. Grave 8. (Recorded in the Deaths at Sea Register June 1945, p.20. Cause of death. Heart failure)
The fourth Merchant Seaman Raymond Banner is buried underneath Clarence Williams of the SS Don and has not been recorded by the CWGC in any shape or form. The only reason why I found he is there is because a photograph I received shows a separate plaque bearing his name and is placed at the head of the CWGC headstone with the following inscription.
Raymond Banner Born in Scotland on the 26-02-1917 died 28-09-1942
Remembered by his Twin brother OGILVIE
In November 2008 I was contacted by Allan Shaw a member of the crew from the SS Ohio involved in Operation Pedestal who told me that he and the rest of Ohio's crew attended Raymond Banner's funeral in 1942. His death was confirmed in the December 1942 Deaths at Sea Register for Ohio and a Steward named Raymond Banner from Methil is recorded as dying on the 26th September 1942 at Malta from Peritonitis.
I think it would be fitting if his name was also accepted for official commemoration as have the other three.
-- Edited by British Merchant Navy at War on Sunday 14th of February 2010 01:50:29 PM
